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Day 2 - Scene 2
“Can you pass the mushrooms?” “Say please.” “You're not mum. Pass the mushrooms.” “You should say please!” “No! Pass the mushrooms!” “Elsie, stop lording your brother. Linus, here are the mushrooms, say please next time.” “But Linnea! He should say please!” “He will next time, won't you.” “Yes. I'm sorry.” The two youngsters ate in sullen silence; Linus his mushrooms and Elsie a potato. In the relative peace Linnea sipped her tea. It wasn't the first time this morning her brother and sister had gotten into an argument and Enar admired the girl's patience. It was Rolf who broke the silence first. “Very well, Enar, my friend, do you have any plans for what you want to do now that you're here?” Enar thought a little before he replied. “No, not really. There isn't anything specific that I want to see or do. I'd rather just have a look around and get a feel for life here. It's very different to the city.” This wasn't entirely true. One of the brochures he'd read had a long list of sights to see and he would like to visit at least one or two of them. However, it had also suggested that if it was his first visit he ought to take it easy and just enjoy his stay before going off touristing. “That sounds like a good plan.” Rolf nodded approval. “We do have some ideas for you, but not for today. It's Restday after all and it wouldn't do for us to set you tasks and activities then. No my friend, today you take it easy and relax. I'm sure you need some rest after yesterday's journey.” “Enar," Linus mumbled through his mushrooms, "what do you do on Restday in the city?” “You shouldn't talk with your mouth full!” Elsie reprimanded her brother. The oncoming argument stopped in its tracks when Linnea, rather pointedly, cleared her throat. Linus closed his mouth and chewed in silence. Elsie poked her potato. “It's a little bit different in the city.” Enar hesitated. It had been a while since he did something worthwhile on a Sunday. Last week he'd had such a hangover he'd not gotten out of the apartment all day. He wasn't sure that was the kind of thing to talk about at a breakfast table full of children. He took a bite of his sausage to stall a little. “Your weeks are different in the city though, aren't they?” Eric had been rather quiet this morning but the topic awoke his curiosity. “You only have seven days instead of eight, don't you?” “That's dumb. Enar, why do you only have seven days?” Linus stared at him with wide eyes. Enar started feeling a little awkward with all the unexpected attention. With his mouth full of food he couldn't answer and while he chewed fervently the questions kept coming. “It's because of the humans, isn't it?” Linnea asked. “Their week only has seven days and since it's their city they get to say how many days there are in the week.” “That's mean. Enar, what happens with the eighth day?” “Linnea?” Loianna asked but no one paid her any attention. “Don't be silly.” Back straight and head high Elsie lectured her younger brother. “They have it afterwards of course.” “Linnea.” Eric cleared his throat. “It's a little bit more complicated than that isn't? After the seventh day you just go back to the first day, right?” Enar nodded and finally swallowed. “Linnea!” Elsie looked confused. “But, where does the eighth day go?” Before Linus could make fun of her a small voice yelled in frustration. “Linnea! Linnea! Linnea! Linnea!” “Loianna! Don't yell like that. What is it?” “But Linnea! You don't listen. What are humans?” “You're such a baby Loianna. You don't even know what humans are.” Elsie's comment did nothing to calm the little girl down. “I'm not a baby! What are humans?” “Shush Loianna, you don't have to yell. I will tell you all about humans and no one is going to interrupt or call you a baby.” Linnea put down the tea and focused all attention on her youngest sister. “Humans look a little like us, but they are much taller and they don't have any hair on their legs. They live in houses instead of burrows and there are many more of them than there are of us so they make the rules. That's why Enar only has seven days in his week.” Everyone waited while Loianna thought about what Linnea had said. No one was going to interrupt. A small lip quivered. “I don't want them to make the rules. What if they take away our days too?” The little girl started to cry. “That will be enough talk of strange things for today,” Beired commanded. The matron, just like last night, had not said much during the meal but when she did say something her family listened. She looked at her crying youngest. “Linnea.” “Yes mom.” Linnea gathered up her little sister, hugged her tight and rocked gently back and forth, mumbling quiet, friendly words. “Enar, what do you do on Restday in the city?” “Linus. That's enough.” With his sister being preoccupied it fell to Eric to maintain order around the table. “But Eric.” Before the boy could continue Eric interrupted him. “Linus, why don't you tell Enar about what we do here in Hyardum on Restday? He's never been out of the city before so he's never had a proper Restday.” Linus turned a wide eyed face to Enar. “Is that true? Have you never had a real Restday before?” Before Enar had time to answer Elsie butted in. “On our Restday we go down to the village and all of the families gather in the big field.” “Stop! I'm telling! On Restday we all go down in the village and meet everyone else. We have dinner at the inn. If it's nice we have food outside in the grass and if it's raining we eat inside. I like it best when we eat outside.” “All families take turn helping out at the inn on Restday. Last week it was our turn. Mom was in the kitchen and me and Linnea were serving girls and I had a white apron just like Adne and Jolene and Eric was a bartender and pulled all the drinks.” “I was helping dad do the dishes.” “No Linus, you were collecting dirty plates from the tables. That's not doing the dishes.” “It is too. I helped dad with the dishes. He said so himself. Tell her dad.” Rolf smiled at his youngest son. “You were helping me bring in the dishes, it was very useful.” With a laugh he ruffled the lads hair. “You all did a great job.” As Beired smiled everyone sat a little straighter and the little one stopped crying. “I was very proud of you. Even Loianna was being extra good letting auntie Yean look after her.” “Auntie Yean said I was a good girl.” They ate in silence for a moment. Linnea fed her little sister a mushroom and helped her back to her seat. Enar decided to be a radical and eat his scone with apple mash and chees like Rolf did. Linus and Elsie shared some tomatoes without fighting. The sun shone and the birds sang and somehow more and more empty bowls and pots ended up down at Eric's end of the table. When Linnea pointed this out he just laughed – and so did everyone else. Life was good. Eventually Beired set down her tea. “We do have some things planned for you Enar. Tomorrow starts the new week and I need you out from under my feet so I can put the home in order again. If there's nothing else you'd rather do I have arranged for a guide to take you up to Old Hill. “Old Hill? What's that?” Enar couldn't remember the name from the listing in the brochure, but it had been a long list and he may very well have missed or forgotten it. “Mom, can I go too?” Linus asked. “No Linus, this is something for Enar to do on his own. You can go when you're old enough.” “Over there my friend.” Rolf twisted in his chair and pointed off into the distance. “The bare hill with just the one tree on top. It's a long walk, but well worth it. It will take you the better part of the day, but I guarantee you won't regret it.” The hill looked really far away and Enar had to squint to make out the tree at its top. “I see it, but what is it?” “You'll see.” Rolf gave him a smug smile. “It's one of those things that are best discovered on your own. We'll pack you a bag of trail rations and send you off on your little trip. It'll be a nice experience for you my friend.” Something about it nagged at Enar. They'd said someone would lead him but that it was something he'd do on his own. “Who's the guide? Someone from the village?” “Yes, you could say that,” was all the answer Rolf gave. Enar got the feeling he was missing out on something. He took a bite of his scone and chewed. The cheese and apple combo sort of worked, but he probably wouldn't go for it back home. He sipped his tea. “Very well, if you say so.” “I most certainly do my friend and don't you worry. It will be a great day for you. Then when you come back dinner will be ready and you can have a good meal and tell us all about your trip. I'll make sure to bring in some fine ale to wash away the road dust.” “That does sound pretty good actually.” How bad could it be? The plan started to grow on him. “Was there anything else you had in mind for me to do? Maybe there is something around here I can help out with? Something you need a hand with? Rolf sat back in his chair and gave him a serious, appraising look. “There are always things that need fixing around here. What are you good at?” Enar felt himself blush. His only thought had been of offering his help, not about whether he could actually do anything useful. He hesitated. “I don't know really.” “Then what good are you?” Enar froze. He hadn't expected the harsh words from his host and started to stammer an apology. “Don't worry my friend. I'm just messing with you.” Rolf put a steady hand on his shoulder and gave it a friendly squeeze. “I actually have some work that needs doing that you could help me with. It's nothing complicated, but another pair of hands would make it a lot easier for me.” “That sounds good. Just show me what needs doing and I'll try my best.” “It's a village chore actually. The old gazebo down by the lake needs fixing and it's fallen to me to see it done.” He gave his two eldest a disapproving look. “Some people, I won't say any names, have messed it up.” “Dad! It wasn't us!” Linnea almost yelled the words. “Seriously dad, that wasn't us.” “Calm down kids, I'm joking. These things happen.” Rolf laughed cheerfully. “What do you say Enar, my friend? Does that sound like something you'd like to help out with?” “Yes, definitely. I can do that. I've helped mending fences at the park a few times.” As he said it he realized he should have mentioned that right away. He did have some experience with the nail and hammer and he'd done some light repair work in the past. It was a few years since last though. “Excellent. Then we have plans for the next two days. You're staying for two more after that, right?” “I do, but I will have to leave early on the last day to get to the train in time.” The vacation package he'd picked had called it a week, but in the fine print it was really only six days. Enar was starting to think he'd have to come back and stay longer next year. “Right, that's just one more day then. I'm sure we'll think of something eventually. Plenty of time to think today. It's Restday after all. Are there any mushrooms left?” --- Continued in Day 2 - Scene 3 . Back to Enar's Vacation. Original conversation outline.